The Changing Times
by Misu Niiroke
Summary: Mitsuyasha, the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome, wants to go to her mother's time and visit her family on the other side of the well. Hesistantly, Inuyasha let's her go. What awaits this halfdemon in this new world and time...?
1. A New Adventure Begins

AN: I've had this story tucked away for a long time, and decided to finally bring it out and finish it. I had it stored away on my old computer, so I didn't remember I had it till recently when I was looking through some old files. I like the idea, and want to finish it.

I also realize that I have many stories that are unfinished, and to post another one would be taking on a lot of work but…I just can't help it. ;) I always have an easy time starting stories…and a terrible time trying to finish them. But I'll do my best.

For now, enjoy the first installment!

Chapter 1:

A New Adventure Begins

-O-

The sun slipped behind the hills just beyond the trees, the sky turning dark immediately after, as if it had never been there. The forest became hushed, but at the same time, a new noise entered into the trees. The sound of rapid footsteps marred the would-be quiet evening.

A flash of red danced between the trunks and brush as a figure moved swiftly through it. Soon, the figure bent low just beneath a large oak and then sprang forward into the limbs above. This was done in one fluid motion. The figure sat cross-legged on the largest limb and closed their eyes, waiting.

It wasn't long before the peaceful night was disrupted again, this time by two figures, each one carrying a torch to light the way. One light bounced very low to the ground, only two feet or so. The other was supported by an average height of five feet. Soon, the two people came into the clearing beneath the large tree. Their voices floated up to the one residing in the tree.

"Kinai, I'm scared…what if Mitsuyasha doesn't show up?" The voice was tiny and small, girlish in nature. It came from the small one now sitting on an overgrown root.

The taller one, standing near the other, said smoothly, "Don't worry, Ko. Mitsuyasha will come. She called the meeting."

Kinai set the torch in the ground, and then took her boomerang from around her shoulders and set it near her hand, so she would be able to grasp it quickly in case of danger. Her gaze swept over the clearing, as if searching for something, but seeing no threats, she took her seat.

Kinai, in the half-light of the torch, could be mistaken for a boy. She had shoulder length black hair that fell into her eyes, the straight hairs never staying behind her ears. Her eyes were calm and cool, a bright purple that showed comfort and serenity. She looked like a monk, just like her father.

An owl hooted into the darkness, sending Ko scrambling into Kinai's lap. Ko wasn't a human, but you wouldn't need to be told so if you met her. She had hair the color of rust, and eyes that shone like emeralds. Her hair was done in two pigtails, each one tied with a big green bow. This wasn't what set her apart from her companion though. In place of feet, she had fox paws, and a fluffy red tail as well, making her a fox demon.

"What's taking them so long?" Ko asked, her large eyes looking to her left and then her right.

Kinai put a hand on Ko's shoulder, settling the ten-year-old. "You know Nimiko lives further away. She may not be here as early as us. Have patience."

"Okay…"

The figure watched from up above, her presence yet to be discovered. She continued to hide. She would wait to show herself when Nimiko arrived. Not until then.

Footsteps slow and steady could be heard, ere long, coming from the dense forest around them. Ko and Kinai both turned their heads to the source of the noise, awaiting the upcoming arrival. A tall girl stepped from out of the dark. Ko's breath let out loudly, a breath she had held the whole time. Kinai gave the newcomer a small smile and nod.

The newcomer was in fact Nimiko, or at her home in the Western Lands, Lady Nimiko. She was a lady, her father being the lord. Her long white hair showed this. Her eyes, two deep garnets of color, however, showed she was related to Kagura, the Wind Sorceress. She had a milk white face with a blue stripe on each cheek, a crescent moon on her forehead.

She said not a word, but took three steps toward the group and continued to stand. Her eyes, cold and calculating, took in her surroundings with little interest. She did not want to be there. She didn't even know why she'd come. A second after this thought, the sound of fabric flapping in wind met their ears. They all looked up, with the exception of one, to see Mitsuyasha drop from the tree and land gracefully on the ground.

Nimiko turned slowly, her eyes expressionless, to face her cousin. They had this tension between them, one that couldn't be explained. Their fathers feuded. Everyone there knew that. They had no reason to fight, and they even liked each other somewhat. Still, they always wanted to be stronger than one another, and that's the line they drew on their kinship.

Mitsuyasha and Nimiko looked similar in stature and even face, though with some major differences. Mitsuyasha had long hair like Nimiko, but hers was black. Mitsuyasha's skin was the same milky color, but no marks were on her face. Her eyes were the same deep gold as her fathers, threatening and angry.

They stared at one another for a moment, then Nimiko broke the glare and turned to look elsewhere, seemingly uninterested. Mitsuyasha gave a low growl, and then turned to face the others. Her face became calmer at the sight of Ko and Kinai. Her closest and only friends, she cherished them.

"I'm glad you both came." She addressed them both, a smirk on her face. "I thought you would be too scared though, Ko." She added, her two dog-ears tweaking in silent laughter.

Ko stood up proudly on Kinai's lap, her eyes daring and brave for a young demon child. "I was _not_ scared!" she exclaimed.

Mitsuyasha folded her arms inside her fire-rat shirt. "Whatever you say, Ko."

Ko looked angry, her tiny hands closed in fists. Kinai broke through with a question to stop their familiar arguing. "Mistuyasha, why did you have us come here tonight?"

Mitsuyasha turned to look at the moon that hung in the sky, her eyes glazing over for a moment. She seemed to be in deep thought, her face set in a constant frown. Ko looked worried, and even Nimiko shot a glance at her cousin to see why the answer was taking so long.

Finally, after the moon went behind a cloud, Mistuyasha's voice returned and she spoke low and quiet. "I've decided to go to my mother's world."

Kinai's eyes widened only slightly and her mouth opened to ask the obvious question of why. Ko just stared, wide-eyed, visions of another land swimming in her head. Nimiko merely gave a light shrug, though she kept an ear trained for what she would hear next.

Mitsuyasha saw the question forming on Kinai's lips and silenced it by putting up her hand in a stopping motion. "I know you want to know why." She started. She turned and began to pace the ground, her hands still in her sleeves. She explained as she paced back and forth.

"I guess I wonder what it's like there. I've always been happy here, but…I don't know…" she trailed off, her confusion showing on her face. She couldn't explain why she wanted to go. She just did.

"You're curious." Nimiko's steady voice cut across the air like a sword, stopping Mitsuyasha's stride.

She looked to her cousin, and for the first time in a while, agreed with her. "Yeah, I'm curious."

Kinai nodded solemnly. "I remember my mother and father telling me stories of how Kagome went between worlds. She would bring back strange foods and materials."

Ko spoke up as well. "Yeah! My father still has the crayons she gave him when he was younger like me!"

Mitsuyasha nodded. She too had heard about her mother's world. It seemed so unreal and impossible. From her father's point of view, it sounded just as dangerous as this world. He said that there were houses and castles taller than the tallest trees. There weren't near as many demons, he said, but they sometimes popped up.

All of these stories fueled her curiosity. She wanted to know more. She wanted to see these tall castles. She wanted to go were her mother lived, or… where he mother used to live. The thought made her eyes water, but she never let the liquid spill over. She fought the tears back and turned to face her two friends.

"So, what do you think?" She asked.

Kinai stood up, slinging her boomerang upon her back. She gave a smile, a genuine one, and replied, "Do what you wish, Mitsuyasha. Just remember you can always call on me for help, if you need it."

Ko bounced up to land on Kinai's shoulder. "Go do it, Mitsuyasha! It would be so much fun!" She shouted, her goofy smile and sparkling eyes made even Nimiko break out into a small grin.

"Thanks you guys, for coming and everything." Mitsuyasha said. She would never admit it out loud, but she was glad she could depend on her friends for their help and advice.

Kinai nodded and turned to walk back to her home, a talkative little fox demon on her shoulder. "No problem, Mitsuyasha!" Kinai called over her shoulder. The last sounds of Ko's chatter died away moments later, leaving Mitsuyasha and Nimiko.

Mitsuyasha walked over to the base of the tree and plopped down cross-legged again, another one of her father's traits. She closed her eyes and said, a sneer in her voice, "What do you say, Nimiko. I'm sure you have an opinion, as always."

Nimiko lightly moved her large white tail from her face so she could see her cousin. Her eyes held no warmth, and her small smile no laughter. "I don't care what you do." She said shortly. Mitsuyasha gave a fabled "Keh!" and snorted in disbelief.

Nimiko turned to leave, but with her back turned she added, "Just don't get killed. I have to become stronger than you by fighting you. So if you die, I will have no one to fight." She tried to hide the feeling from her voice, but Mitsuyasha heard it, and it made her smile. Her voice, however, came out harsh and cocky.

"Keh! Don't expect that any time soon! I'll be back, and when I do come back, you can bet we'll fight!"

Nimiko merely nodded, and then as if she'd never been there at all, she walked into the black forest. Mitsuyasha sat there for some moments, thinking. Nimiko had been only half right in her explanation of why she wanted to go to Kagome's time. Sure, she wanted to see it and know it, but she had something else she wanted to see.

Inuyasha was the best father anyone could hope for. He was strong and funny. He could make her laugh all the time, even when she wasn't at her best. He taught her how to run, how to dodge, how to fight. He'd been there for her through everything. He was her family, and always would be, but deep down, she knew there was more.

Her grandmother and uncle lived on the other side of the well. Her father had told her once how he'd met her uncle when he was younger than her, and how he'd met Kagome's mother when she was only a young woman. No doubt she was older, probably fifty or so. Her uncle, too, would be a young man, twenty and some odd years.

She wouldn't say so out loud, but she badly wanted to meet them. She had Inuyasha and her uncle, Sesshomaru, as well as Nimiko. Still, she had to meet her mother's family, even if it was only for a few months, or even a few weeks.

She stood up and stretched her arms above her head, twisting her neck to work out the kinks. Seconds later she was speeding through the forest, back to her hut where Inuyasha and she resided.

-O-

She entered through the front entrance, the screen flapping behind her. Her father sat in the same position she had been in moments ago, his eyes closed, as if asleep. She knew better. She took her seat across from him, her smirk ever present on her face.

"So, how did it go?" came the offhand question from Inuyasha. He opened one eye, feigning disinterest, then both, openly wanting to know what had gone on.

Mitsuyasha shrugged her shoulders and replied, "It was alright."

Inuyasha put his hands on his knees, giving her the eye that said, "I don't believe you."

She sighed loudly and raised her voice a notch. "Really! It was actually boring. We only stayed for thirty minutes or so. Then we all left for home."

He stared for a moment more, as did she. They had a small staring contest, and then a scent flowered in Mitsuyasha's nose. She raised her nose and sniffed. There! A steaming pot sat to her left, boiling with soup. Her stomach growled at the sight of it.

Inuyasha gave a small bark of laughter. "I see your hungry!"

Mitsuyasha yawned widely, her canines flashing in the firelight. "Yeah, I've been running around so much I forgot to eat anything."

She reached over and got a bowl for herself. Inuyasha did the same and soon they both were slurping their meals in silence. Mitsuyasha was used to the quietness of dinner. She didn't mind it; neither did her father. They liked it that way.

The silence was broken though, as Mitsuyasha cleared her throat to ask him the question that had been burning inside her ever since the meeting with her friends and cousin.

"Father…" She started, waiting for his attention to focus on her.

"What?" he asked, his growl-like voice still holding the boyish quality from when he was young.

"Well," she began. She turned away from his glare that was so like hers and instead stared at the wall. "I've been thinking about the other world…" She paused, feeling the tension that always came with subjects involving Kagome. "I was thinking about going there, for a visit."

At first, he said nothing. She was afraid she had made him angry, or worse, sad. After a few minutes she turned back and looked him in the face. From his scrunched brow and set frown she knew he was in deep thought. About what, she couldn't say.

He still didn't speak, and Mitsuyasha grew worried that he would say no. "Please, Father, I just want to see my grandmother and uncle. It won't be for very long, and I can take care of myself. I won't get in trouble or—

Her father cut in before she could finish her plea.

"Just don't go around savin' people." He looked at her from across the fire, a small grin on his lips. "They start to bother you and stuff."

Mitsuyasha's eyes grew wide. Was he really saying yes? She gave a startled laugh then launched herself at her father. She hugged him tight saying over and over "Thank you! Thank you!" He returned the hug, and then they drew apart. His eyes held humor from her behavior, but also seriousness.

"Be careful, okay?" He said, the concern in his voice coming out full force. He only let things like that show when he really meant it. No one really knew how kind and gentle he could be, save for his daughter…and her mother.

Mitsuyasha nodded quickly. "I will! I promise!" At this, he relaxed.

After that, they resumed eating. Inuyasha didn't really want her to go, which was evident to his only daughter easily. Kagome used to leave to go to her own time, and Inuyasha never liked that at all, or so he'd said. She knew that her leaving was like Kagome doing the same thing. Only this time, she would come back. She would.

-O-

Mitsuyasha stood in the clearing, the well only feet in front of her. Around her neck hung the sacred jewel, the jewel that Kagome had died putting together. She clutched it to her chest, the small round ball giving her comfort for the adventure she was about to have. She walked two paces and leaned over to look down into the well. She couldn't see the bottom; it was too dark.

She straightened up and ran through the things her father had told her before she left. He'd said:

"Don't go sniffin' around and smellin' things. Hide your ears so no one can see 'em. Stay away from the 'cars'. They kill people sometimes. Oh yeah, and make sure you come back soon. Ya got that!"

His advice sounded odd. Why would she need to hide her ears? True, she inherited her father's demon abilities, but she wasn't full demon. She'd decided it was because people were afraid of demons. And she didn't want to scare people off. As for the 'car' thing, she would have to ask Kagome's mom when she got there.

She held the jewel that was tied around her neck. It was the only thing she had that belonged to her mother. She wouldn't loose it. Her mother had died purifying it, and even though it held no powers, she treasured it. The only thing the jewel could do now was connect her world to her mother's. Using her other hand she grabbed the ledge and jumped over the side, letting go as she fell. Instead of hitting the bottom, she began to float in a bluish purple light. She stayed there for a few seconds, then it disappeared, and the bottom of the well surrounded her on all sides once again.

She looked up to see that the sky was no longer there, but instead a roof. She jumped out of the well in one leap, brushing off the dust that had landed on her. She looked around. It looked as though no one had come in here for years. She stopped. Her grandmother probably closed it off because it brought to many memories of Kagome. She nodded quietly. Yes, they'd even tried to seal it up so no one could get through. Obviously, the sutras hadn't worked.

Mitsuyasha slid the door aside and was met with blinding light. She waited for her eyes to adjust, blinking them once or twice. Soon, she could see. And what a sight it was!

She was in a temple, a shrine. Up ahead of her she could see a building, a house it looked like. How big it was! Much bigger than any huts she had seen in the village. She looked past the house to see even bigger structures. There were so many of them, all lined up along the horizon. The sun reflected off their surfaces like glass. Amazing!

After she took in all the sights, she noticed that the air here was much more…foggy. She couldn't think of a better word. It seemed thick, and she could smell tons of things: plants, people, and animals, nothing to unusual. She looked to the house with the open windows and wooded door. She could smell people in there as well. That must be were her grandmother lives, she reasoned.

Wasting no more time taking in the sights, she hastened to the front door. She didn't know the customs of knocking or ringing the doorbell, so when she reached the entrance, she simply walked in.

She walked down the hallway, hands in her sleeves, looking here and there. The house was nice and clean, no dirt for floors, but wood like the walls. She saw an open door up ahead, as well as a stair leading to the next level of the house. Steam came floating from the open door, drawing Mitsuyasha's attention and curiosity.

She went to the entrance and looked inside. A woman stood facing away from her, her back hunched over what looked like dishes. She was cleaning them, the hot water being the reason for the steam. A table was to the left of her, a pot of daisies in the center. The woman hadn't noticed Mitsuyasha, so she decided to speak first.

"Uh…excuse me…" She called out, only loudly enough so the woman could hear here.

The woman whirled around, her hand clutching tight to the washcloth that dripped water down her front. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of Mitsuyasha. She took a step forward.

"Who are you?" It didn't sound demanding, but more curious than anything. Mitsuyasha smiled fondly at the woman before her. There was no mistaking it; this lady was her grandmother.

"My name is Mitsuyasha." She began, feeling both nervous and excited all at once. She decided to come right to the point, and declared, "I'm your granddaughter."

Mitsuyasha's smile barely contained. She watched as the woman's eyes began to water with tears. She took another step and reached out to touch Mitsuyasha's face. She gasped loudly, and in an instant Mitsuyasha was being hugged tighter than ever before.

"You look just like her!" the older woman gushed, "I can see so much of her in you." Mrs. Higurashi pulled away and held her out at arms length. "And you look like your father as well." She added, giving a glance to her ears and claws, not with anger, but pride.

"Yeah, he's been great." Mitsuyasha replied, her throat blocked with unshed tears of joy. But she didn't keep the warmth from her voice. In this woman's presence, she felt she could say anything, just be herself. This was the thing she'd been missing. She felt whole, complete.

"So!" Mrs. H began happily, wiping the tears away hastily. "What can I fix for you?"

Mitsuyasha looked confused. She scratched her head. "I, uh, don't know what you mean?" What did she need to be "fixed"?

"You must be hungry." Her grandmother explained.

"Oh!" Mitsuyasha realized what she meant. "No, I'm alright." She responded quickly, waving a hand at the idea.

"Nonsense!" Her grandmother cried, all smiles. "I'll make you some soup…and rice and chicken…" Mrs. Higurashi's voice trailed away as she began to pull out pots and pans, her mind already two steps ahead of her words. Mitsuyasha watched her for a few moments, not sure what she should do. Mrs. H saw her standing there and smiled.

"There's no need for you to wait around in here. Go on, have a look around. I'll call for you when it's ready."

Mitsuyasha nodded, replying, "Thank you."

She walked out of the kitchen and back into the hallway. Once again, she saw the stairs at the end of the hall. A door at the very top loomed above them, calling to her. Could that have been…her mother's room? Excited, she shot a glance down the hall, hearing the clatter of the metal and the sizzling of the food. She would just take a little peak. Besides, her grandmother had said she could look around…

She walked up the stairs, leaving the rail unused as she climbed. Once she reached the top, she pulled on the pink-cushioned doorknob and pushed it aside with a faint squeak.

The sun slanted in through the windows, the pink curtains fluttering slightly in the open breeze. Her eyes drank in the pink bed and matching chair. The desk sat untouched, the clutter and paper that she'd left there still remained where it had been. Mitsuyasha sighed sadly. They hadn't even come in here since she died. She walked in and turned a full circle, soaking in the warm colored walls and the soft-carpeted floor.

A large, thick book caught her attention. It lay underneath the bed, a corner of it sticking out. She wondered what it could be for. Taking a seat on the ground, she reached under the sash and drew out the dusty book. A word was sewn into the cover, but the dust made it hard to read. Blowing the dust away, and coughing up a storm in the process, she made out the word "Scrapbook".

Opening up the first page, she was met with a picture of a small girl. Her hair was curly and short, the black tendrils coiling around her puffy cheeks and large brown eyes. She wore a frilly rose dress, her shoes polished and white. In her arms she held a large spotted cat, a huge smile on her face. Underneath it read, "Kagome's Fifth Birthday".

She continued to look through it, watching as the girl in the pictures became older and older. Soon, she was wearing a uniform with a green cape and skirt. Three other girls stood on either side of her, each one making goofy faces and laughing. Mitsuyasha smiled. She looked happy.

The next one's had been the most recent. The first was a very strange one. She had to turn the book at an angle to see the figures properly. An angry dog demon was running after a laughing fox demon, the dog being Inuyasha, and the fox being Shippo. She could see the ground they were running upon, a few trees in the distance.

There was one with Miroku and Sango, though they looked nothing like the married couple they were. Sango stood with a scowl on her face, while Miroku sported a knot on his head and a goofy smile on his face. It was obvious what had happened, and it made Mitsuyasha laugh.

The next one was the last one, a group shot, with even Kagome in it. Miroku and Sango stood next to one another, Sango blushing and Miroku staring dreamily at her, love shining in his eyes. Shippo sat on Kagome's shoulder, a large grin in place. Inuyasha stood in the middle, Kagome at his side. He had one hand around her waist, almost possessive. He didn't look happy, but his posture showed that with Kagome there, he was content.

She closed the book slowly, absorbing all she'd seen. Kagome had been happy, both in Mitsuyasha's world and her own. Maybe Mitsuyasha would be happy here too. She slid the book back under the bed, and stood up, stretching her back to work out the cramp that was taking root there. Really, she thought, this room isn't so bad.

"What are you doing in there?" came a voice from the door.

Mitsuyasha whirled around, already taking a battle stance. Instead of meeting the eyes of a demon or foe, she was met with a pair of brown eyes, the same as her grandmother's. She stood back, taking in the features of the man in front of her.

He was tall, taller than Inuyasha even. He had short black hair, spiky and wild. His clothing consisted of black pants and a light green shirt. He was looking at her accusingly, but with the same curiosity her grandmother had had.

"Well?" He prompted, waiting for her answer.

"I'm Mitsuyasha." She began, "I've come to visit my grandmother," She declared, his tone annoying her.

Confusion flashed in his eyes. "Who are you?"

"I'm Mitsuyasha, Kagome's daughter."

He glared deeper, putting both hands on his hips. He looked so much like Inuyasha in his human form. "You lie." He stated simply.

Mitsuyasha folded her arms as her father would and replied rudely, "Keh! I would never lie about something like that!" Her ears twitched in annoyance, and her claws flexed in her sleeves. "Who are you?" she demanded, pointing at him.

He puffed up his chest in a manly way and said smoothly, "Higurashi Sota."

Mitsuyasha gawked. No! This couldn't be her uncle! She frowned at him. "Great…" she mumbled, then without another word she stalked down the stairs, leaving a confused man in her wake. She walked back into the room her grandmother had been in to find that food had suddenly appeared on the table.

Her grandmother smiled when she came in and pulled out a chair for her to sit in. "Here, come sit. I was just about to call for you. I'll bring Sota in and then we can all sit down and have a nice meal." Her voice rang with warmth and happiness. Mitsuyasha nodded and took her seat, though she wasn't looking forward to eating with her new Uncle Sota.

"Sota!" Mrs. H called, walking down the hall to find her son.

He was talking to Mrs. Higurashi as he walked down the hall with her, and with Mitsuyasha's good hearing, she could pick up everything he said.

"Mom," he began, "there's an annoying girl here who's claiming to be Kagome's daughter. I don't believe her." Her grandmother laughed and replied, "Of course she is! Now come, let's eat…"

That's when they entered the room, Kagome's mother all smiles, while her uncle merely sent her a curt nod and took his place at the table. Mitsuyasha lowered her eyes and stared at the delicious food. Somehow, she didn't think she'd enjoy it as much. Looking at Sota from across the table, who was giving her the "eye" currently, she confirmed her earlier thoughts. Taking her chopsticks in hand, she dug in, trying hard not to notice the angry glares from her grandmother's son.

-O-

Mitsuyasha lay on top of the bed her mother had slept in all her life. She inhaled the scent and found it was just as pleasant as her father had said it would be. She wiggled around in her new clothes, finding them comfortable and warm. They were a pair of "pajamas", her grandmother had said. They were clothes you slept in. She didn't see the point, but liked them all the same.

A knock at the door made her sit up. She didn't know what to say. "Yes?" She asked tentatively. The door was opened and Mrs. H walked over to sit on the bed beside her. She looked tense in the room, and her eyes clouded over slightly when she looked around, but turning to Mitsuyasha, she smiled and regained her composure.

"I just wanted to come in and tell you Good Night." She said, her smile always there.

Mitsuyasha nodded. "Thank you."

Mrs. H patted her thigh fondly. "It was nice of you to visit, you know. It's been kind of lonely around here since…" she trailed off, knowing that she would understand. "Well, I hope you have a nice sleep." She concluded, leaning over to kiss her granddaughter on the forehead. Mitsuyasha smiled as Mrs. H walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

She lay on the bed, her arms crossed under her neck, her legs at the ankle. She looked at the ceiling, watching the moonlight make shadows on the wall. The last thing she heard was the beating of her own heart, content and peaceful, before she fell asleep.

-O-

AN: It's a pretty long chapter. I'm sure this is goodto some, and badto others. But either way, I think it's a decent start. Reviews are always welcome,flames and compliments alike.Let me know what you think, okay?

Until next time,

&Niiroke&


	2. Demon Encounters

Chapter 2: Demon Encounters

Mitsu put a hand to her brow and whipped it happily, watching the puffy white clouds float across the sky. She stood in the middle of the shrine, broomstick in hand. She wore her old clothes, freshly washed by Grandma. She'd felt restless staying in the house doing nothing. When she saw Grandma head for the broom, she volunteered to do the job instead.

"Oh, no, no. You're a guest, my dear. I can handle it." Mrs. H had protested.

Mitsuyasha smiled at the comment, but took the handle in her hands. "I know. But I'm bored, and besides, I'd like to help."

And so she was, sweeping the grounds, stopping occasionally to greet a visitor or tourist. They marveled at her clothing, saying it looked very authentic. She wore a red scarf around her head, as her father had instructed, to hide her ears. No one noticed them, and the bandana was not scrutinized.

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs, two sets of them. She listened with her back turned, hearing that one stride was long and heavy, while the other was light and quick. Soon, voices reached her ears, making them twitch beneath the fabric.

"Sano! Hurry up!" This voice came from a little boy, she could tell. He seemed excited. It was probably his first time visiting a shrine.

Another voice replied, with an empty monotone, "I'm coming, Yuki." The voice was definitely male, almost her age, maybe older. She straightened up her back. She wasn't intimidated by men as some girls were. They had surrounded her all her life. Inuyasha, Kouga, Miroku, Shippo: she knew how they really where, and knowing this, she didn't feel bothered.

The footsteps grew louder and closer. She continued to sweep, even after she felt two pairs of eyes focus on her. Her back turned, she decided to leave them alone and let them look around on their own.

A whisper reached her ear, the little boy. He didn't want her to hear, but with her demon senses, she picked up his comment loud and clear.

"Sano, that girl's wearing real feudal Japan clothing! Can I talk to her?" His voice sounded so excited and eager, she couldn't help but smile at his comment. It was so innocent and energetic, kind of like a certain fox demon back home.

She pretended not to hear and continued to sweep. Presently, she felt a light tug on her sleeve. She turned to see first, a small hand, and then a little arm, connected to a little boy. He had deep blue eyes, embarrassed and shy. Once she looked at him, he dropped his hand and bowed to her.

"Hello, my name is Yuki." His dark, almost royal blue locks fell into his eyes, making him look even more childish. She gave a small laugh at his attitude towards her. She wasn't royalty!

"Please, I'm not that special. Don't bow so." She said, watching as he stood straighter and rubbed his head in embarrassment. She crouched down so she could look him in the eye. "Is this your first time visiting a shrine, Yuki?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah!" he nodded eagerly as he said this. Yup, so much like little Ko.

Mitsuyasha reached into her shirt and pulled out a sutra, a real one her great grandfather had made to ward of evil sprits and bring good dreams to the one who possessed it. She held it out to him, watching as his eyes grew wide wit excitement. He looked from the paper to her, twice.

"Is it for me?" he asked.

Mitsuyasha nodded, putting the piece of paper in his hands. "It's used to ward of evil spirits and bring happy dreams." She said, smiling as his eyes widened still more in awe.

"Does it really work?"

"Of course!" Mitsuyasha replied confidently, though she knew that her great grandfather didn't make sutras that worked.

Yuki clutched it to his chest and ran over to the one called Sano. "Sano, look at this!" he called as he ran. Mitsuyasha looked at Sano for the first time.

He stood ten feet away, his back against one of the many walls. He had his hands in the pockets of his pants. His eyes were looking at Yuki. The color of his eyes was too far away to tell, but she could see that they lit up in front of the little kid. His hair shone in the light, a rich brown color. It went down to his cheek, the locks spiked and pointed in all directions. His smile was lop-sided and broken; as he smiled then while Yuki told him of the sutra he had received. Mitsuyasha watched for a moment more, then returned to her work. The voice of Yuki faded away as they walked further from the place she was sweeping, a deep voice still ringing in her ears.

The next day, Mitsuyasha came down the stairs to find Grandma waiting for her in the hall. She smiled at the woman, a smile that was returned easily. She'd been there for some time, a week and some odd days. She'd grown used to Grandma, even Sota, a little bit. She could still hear Sota's voice as he watched her beat the top level on his old video games. "You're alright." It wasn't much, but it was progress.

Mitsuayasha noticed how her grandma seemed to want to say something. "What is it?" she asked, hoping deep in her heart that she wouldn't ask her to leave.

Mrs. H smiled again and exclaimed happily, "I've enrolled you in school!"

Mitsuyasha only stared back. She had no idea what this "school" was. What did she mean?

"Uh…" she began.

"You're going to go to school, just like Kagome…" Mrs. H said, trying to make her understand.

Mitsuyasha thought back to the picture of Kagome and her friends. "You mean wearing those uniforms?" She asked.

"Well," Mrs. H laughed, "you will have to wear the uniform, among other things…" she trailed off lightly.

Mitsuyasha thought for a moment. She'd set out to go to Kagome's world, to live there and experience what her mother had. Going to this "school" might make her understand her mother better. Plus, she liked how happy Kagome looked in the picture. Maybe she would be happy there too.

"It sounds alright to me." Mitsuyasha said, folding her arms in a final manner.

"Great!" Mrs. H exclaimed. "You start tomorrow!"

Mitsuyasha clutched her sword in her hand, preparing for the demon's next attack. He came from the left and of course she dodged easily, jumping into a nearby tree. She laughed and taunted loudly, "I'm over here, ya big oaf!"

He turned a second too late and instead met her sword. She swung it across his stomach, then his face, watching as he fell to the ground. She stood proudly, sword on her shoulder. She grinned at her handy work.

"Don't mess with Mitsuyasha!" She declared.

"Mitsuyasha…" A voice called, far away and muffled. She looked around. Another demon?

"Mitsuyasha." The voice was louder, a female voice, soft and cooing.

She opened her eyes to find her grandma staring down at her, a soft smile on her face. "Were you dreaming?" she asked.

Mitsuyasha didn't answer, but sat up groggily and looked to the window. The sun was just rising over the hills. She turned back to look at Mrs. H and found that the woman wore a white robe and matching slippers. On the desk chair laid a stack of clothes. She saw that an article was green, the same as the uniform. Then she remembered. School.

"I've made some eggs and toast if you want it." Her grandmother said, standing up to make room for Mitsuyasha.

Mitsuyasha was already heading to the shower to bathe, another thing she'd learned about while staying there. She'd bathed back home, but not nearly as much as she did here. Still, she liked feeling clean, so she took a shower whenever she could.

After showering, she put on the uniform. She stood in front of her mirror, looking at herself in the glass. The shirt was slightly large on her, the sleeves drooping down over her hands, leaving only her fingers exposed. Her skirt was down to mid-thigh, showing much of her legs. She felt naked and uncomfortable. She pulled the skirt down slightly, as well as her shirt. Once she became fed up with the outfit, she commenced brushing her hair and drying it. Once dry, she braided it, something she'd learned from Sango. As the final touch, she wrapped her head in a red bandana, tucking her dog-ears underneath.

She walked downstairs, the white socks causing her to slip on the glossed wood floor. She slid back the door and entered the kitchen. Sota sat at the table, newspaper in hand, and a cup of coffee smoking on the table beside him. He looked up briefly when she entered, but quickly looked again, this time stunned.

Mrs. H saw Mitsuyasha enter and smiled warmly, a small tear on her face. "You truly are her daughter." She whispered.

Grandma sat a plate of toast and egg down on the table. Mitsuyasha took her seat and ate the meal greedily. She was hungry in the morning! After gulping down her orange juice, she was handed her school bag. Inside were blank papers and pencils. She knew how to use them, thanks to Inuyasha, whom Kagome had taught how to read and write.

Grandma stood back and clasped her hands together at her waist. "You'll do fine." She said reassuringly.

Mitsuyasha nodded. "I'm not worried." She said.

Mrs. H led her to the doorway, an arm around her shoulders. As they walked she spoke. "The school is five miles north of the shrine. You can't miss it. It's a big white building with lots of kids around it." Mrs. H had learned that Mitsuyasha needed things explained differently, as she did now.

Mitusyasha smirked. "I got it. Piece a cake."

After being hugged and kissed good-bye, Mitsuyasha took off across the grounds and down the stairs of the shrine. She reached the bottom. Looking both ways, and seeing no people, she took her chance and jumped high into the air to land on a building near the shrine. Soon, she was jumping across roofs like rocks on a stream. In no time the school came in sight. With one last burst of speed, she jumped down from the building and landed neatly in an alley right across the street from the school.

Stepping out from the alleyway, she walked casually up to the entrance, where kids her age loitered about, talking and laughing. She walked past them, head held high. They ceased talking as she walked by, staring instead at this newcomer in their mists. She ignored their stunned silence and walked up to the double doors.

Once inside, she saw the door marked "Office." She knew from Mrs. H's advice to go there first. She had to get a schedule, a list of her classes. She didn't like things being planned without her consent, but decided to let it go. She entered the office where many women were moving about. One caught her eye and motioned her forward.

"You're the new student, correct?" Mitsuyasha nodded. "Good, here's your schedule." The woman handed her a slip of pink paper. "The first class is in ten minutes." She said, and without another word was back to her business, Mitsuyasha forgotten.

She stepped out of the office and looked at her schedule. Her first class was in room 412. She looked at the door across the hall from her. It read 403. She looked to the left and saw a similar door that read 404. She smiled. This wouldn't be too hard. She turned left down the hall, but soon found it harder than she thought. Many students stood in her way, talking and carrying on, right in the middle of the hallway. Soon, she grew angry and finally screamed out,

"Clear a path if ya know what's good for ya!"

The crowd quickly parted on either side, giving her a clear view of room 412 at the end of the hall. She walked past the gawking faces on either side of her, smirking at their fear.

A loud bell rung then, and the once clear path was obscured with bodies, each one moving in a different direction. Mitsuyasha tried to shove her way through, and found it even more difficult than she thought. Soon, the hall was deserted, and she was left alone. Five feet away room 412 waited. She sighed heavily and walked up to knock on the door.

That was another thing she'd been told. Be in class before the bell rings. She knew that being late might bring her punishment. If that teacher tried anything, though, she'd rip his head off.

She gave the door a tap with her knuckles, and then stood idly, waiting. A swish sound brought her attention back to the door as it slid aside. A short, heavy man stood in her way, a scowl on his face. He pushed up his glasses with his finger and asked sharply, "Why are you late?"

Mitsuyasha frowned. Why? Because stupid people wouldn't get out of her way, that's why! She would have been on time if not for them standing around. She held her tongue and answered calmly, "I'm new."

These two words turned his frown into a happy, smiling face. "Ah, Mitsu Higurashi. So good to have you. Please, come in and introduce yourself." He stood aside and gestured in front of himself, an invitation to enter. She walked past him, growling in her throat. He seemed way too cheerful.

She soon stood in front of twenty or so kids, each one her own age. They all looked at her, waiting for to speak. She sent them all a glare, and then spoke up. "The name's Mitsu." She went with it, deciding the "yasha" was best left out. "I live with my grandmother on the Sunset Shrine." They seemed to want to hear more. "That's all." She said swiftly.

Her teacher came forward and pointed to an empty seat near the window. "You can sit there for now, Mitsu." She gave a shrug and walked to the back, plopping down in her chair.

The teacher soon began to talk. At first, Mitsu tried to tune it out, but curiosity made her listen. The subject was History, and she found that her interests were immediately captured. She knew all the answers to the questions, mostly because she'd been there to experience most of them. She knew all of the legends and myths, astounding her teacher and her peers. By the end of the class, she felt better than ever.

The classes that followed weren't as easy as the first, but she managed. She found that math was the most difficult class. She didn't understand it at all. It was like a second language. It made her angry, so much so that she broke her pencil in half during their studying.

When lunch rolled around, Mitsu was thankful. She'd brought her own and found a nice tree near the outskirts of the school grounds. She saw that a tree limb was perfect for sitting on and once again made sure no one was watching as she hopped onto it. She began to eat, resting with her back against the trunk.

A prickling sensation came over her. She stopped eating and sat hunched, ears perked as much as they could beneath her bandana. She felt the presence nearby, the aura dark. There was no mistaking it. A demon was there, and it was heading her way.

She turned in the direction of the aura and there she was, for the demon was a she. She had black curly hair done up in pigtails. Her eyes were a light orange color, each one trained on Mitsu in her tree. Mitsu glared at the girl, wondering what her problem was. If it were a fight she wanted, a fight she'd get.

Just when she thought the demon would attack, she disappeared in the crowd of people. Mitsu looked all over, but saw no sign of where she went. She jumped down from the tree, cursing her bad luck. Would the demon attack her later?

A voice, deep and oddly familiar, reached her ears. "That was interesting."

She turned quickly and sure enough, there leaning against the tree was Sano. He was closer to her now, his hands behind his head. He looked at her, a smirk similar to her own on his face. Mitsu frowned at seeing him, but at the same time felt her heart warm.

She saw him more clearly now. He had gray eyes, cold and smooth as the edge of her sword. His skin was tan and smooth, his muscles lean underneath his shirt and pants. He too looked her up and down, but in no way wrong. It was like he didn't care if she was there or not.

She sniffed the air, testing his scent on her lips. She knew it was one of the things she'd been told not to do, but she couldn't help it. So she sniffed and found that he smelled quite nice. He had the musky scent of a man. She could feel herself being drawn to it, but held back from stepping toward him. Instead she folded her hands and said sharply, "Was it?" answering his question with another.

He chuckled softly. "You don't normally see girls jumping two stories out of a tree." His eyes held humor, a kind of sarcasm. She hated that look, but at the same time found she wanted to see him do it again. Her confusion about him angered her. She turned away from him and called over her shoulder,

"Later, Sano." She smirked, wondering if he knew she was the same girl from the shrine. She hoped she had confused him as much as he did her.

Those eyes plagued her mind all through the day until last bell. She walked down the hall and out of the double doors. Most of the kids were long gone, save for a few still lingering on the grounds. Mitsu walked down the street, deciding to take the easy way home.

A familiar presence was behind her, following her. She kept walking, not speeding up or slowing down. She turned down into an alley, knowing the stalker would follow. Sure enough a girl stepped into the alley, the same one from lunch. She had an evil grin on her face.

"You're stupid for ever coming to my school. I'm the only demon there, and it's going to stay that way." She said, her voice ugly and hissing like a snake. "Prepare to fight." She declared.

Mitsu closed her eyes and gave a low chuckle. She smirked. "You know what? I've been waitin' all day for a good fight from you." She opened her eyes and sent the girl her best stare. "Let's go."

The girl hissed loudly, flashing a thin red tongue. Mitsu stood, battle stance ready. She'd left her sword at home, so she had only her claws and her strength to rely on. She wasn't worried though.

Snake Girl made the first move, charging head on towards Mitsu. She jumped high into the air and watched as Snake Girl rammed her fist into the wall. Mitsu landed behind her, wasting no time in sending a swift kick to her back. Snake Girl flew into the wall, making a decent sized mark. She stood up from the attack, whipping some blood from her face. Mitsu stood waiting, claws flexed and sharp.

"You'll pay for that!" She yelled, charging once again.

Mitsu dodged to the left, but a sharp pain struck her on the neck. She fell to the ground, putting out a hand to stop the fall. She sat up on her knees and reached up to feel the wound. Two spots of blood were there. She turned back to see Snake Girl's fangs dripping with red liquid. Her blood.

Mitsu stood, and in a flash she had her claws trained on Snake Girl's neck. Mitsu had the girl's hands in a vise behind her back with her free hand. She pushed the claws into Snake Girl's neck, but not enough to draw blood. She heard the demon whimper softly.

Mitsu scoffed. "What a demon you are!" She gave the girl a swift punch to the gut. She lay there, barely conscious. "You're not even worth killing." Mitsu turned from the demon girl's body and walked out of the alley.

She walked for two blocks, and then when she was sure the demon hadn't followed, she slumped against the side of a building. She used her hand to push against the wound, trying to stop the blood. She sat there for some time, breathing heavily. Finally, the wound had stopped bleeding, but when she went to stand up, she grew faint and stumbled into something hard.

This something had two arms. They grabbed both of her shoulders and pushed her up so she could stand. The hands drew away. She looked at the owner of the hands and grimaced when she saw the one person she couldn't get out of her head. Sano.

He looked at her without emotion. His gaze traveled over her scratches and bruises, as well as the fang bite wound on her neck. It lingered there the most. Soon though, his eyes met her own, and they lightened slightly, but only slightly.

She looked to the side, her arms crossed as usual. "What are you doing here?" she asked uncaringly, though secretly she wanted to know.

He said nothing, but again looked at her neck. His gaze seemed to ask, "What happened?"

She grumbled to herself. What could she say? A snake in the middle of the city bit me! She would sound stupid, not to mention false. She racked her brain for a plausible answer, but could think of none. She said the first thing that came to mind,

"Ever fight a snake demon?" she asked accusingly.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

He raised one chestnut brow. His arms too were folded, but almost in a polite way. Finally, he spoke, but Mitsu was afraid of what he might say. "You're nuts!" or "Are you kidding me?" She turned away once more, bracing for his words of disbelief.

"I've fought many demons." He said simply.

She knew she looked surprised. He, Sano, had fought demons? What did that mean? Mitsu sniffed the air, testing his scent again. No, she couldn't smell any demon. She sniffed again. No-wait…she could! It was slight, like it was hidden under a veil, but it was there. She looked at him in a new way, both with caution and slight enjoyment. She didn't expect to find another demon here! He was a demon, and not just part like her. He was a full-fledged demon.

"Surprised?" He asked, his cool voice making her growl in frustration, as well as melt like butter.

"Keh!" was all she said in return, sharply turning her neck to look away from him uninterested. Big mistake. She winced as the pain in her neck made her eyesight flicker for a moment. She reached for it as a reflex, pressing on it gently, trying to dull the pain with the warmth in her hand. The pain subsided to a dull throb, and she could once again see clearly.

She looked in front of her, expecting Sano to be long gone, but there he stood, looking at her the same way he'd done during lunch, a small smirk on his lips.

"I bet you think this is so funny. Weak little demon got bit by the mean snake--

"Half." He interrupted smoothly.

She stopped short, stepping forward to glare at him coldly. "What?" she asked angrily.

His eyes remained unemotional as he replied, "You're only a half demon."

This was it. She couldn't stand it any longer. His eyes were too cool, his posture; too confident. Plus, he called her a half demon. No one had called her that since she was little, when she was picked on. So she was mad, madder than mad. She wanted to fight him, there and then. She spread her legs and growled deep in her throat.

"That's it." She stated, flinging her long thin braid over her shoulder. "Let's fight, here and now. I want to see how strong you _really _are!" She shouted, ignoring the growing pain in her neck, and the bruise in her side as she spoke.

His image blurred in front of her, and suddenly, she felt a hot breath on her neck, right above her wound, sending chills down her spine. He was right behind her, his scent so close she could taste it on her tongue. She could feel his torso against her back, his legs against her own. They were so close; she immediately became warm from the contact.

His voice, soft and deep, resonated in her ear. "I want to fight you, but not now. You are injured, therefore inadequate to fight me." As he spoke, he leaned forward, inhaling her scent, smelling her hair. She wanted to turn around and slash his head off for smelling her. Hold it. Why did he smell her?

She whirled around, the question on her lips, ready to pounce, but she found that he was gone, seemingly in an instant.

The setting sun showed that it was late. Her grandmother would be worried. She sighed, remembering how his body felt against hers. So strong, and sturdy…ah! What was she doing! He was cold and cruel and emotionless as ice. He was nothing to her but another demon. Exactly.

She pulled down her skirt and brushed off the dirt from her sleeves. She reached up to smooth down her hair, but remembered the bandana was still there. Seeing that no one was around, she quickly took it off and bounded to the nearest building. The whole way home she felt the pains of her injury, and even when she walked through the front door, the wound still throbbed. She said nothing of it to Grandma. The last thing she wanted was to upset her.

That night she lay in bed, her hair unbraided, and her ears free to move about. She looked at the ceiling, but instead of seeing the white wall, she saw Sano, bright brown hair blowing in the wind, his slate gray eyes shining with amusement. He was a demon. Now that she thought about it, he had been so obvious. When she'd jumped from the tree, he'd been so reserved about it, so nonchalant, as if he'd seen it all before.

One thing she hadn't counted on was that he would be a dog demon, just like her. The sniffing proved that. He had the nose of a dog, and he had smelled her to see if she was afraid of him when he came up behind her.

She felt so confused. She hated it when he smirked at her, but wanted him to do it again. She groaned every time she saw him, but felt empty every time he left. She loved his smell, but hated his attitude. What was she to do? She had wanted a fight from him, and one way or another, she would have it. At least that much was clear to her. Turning over to face her pillow, she settled into a restless sleep.

She was sitting in a clearing, the woods reminding her of her father's forest, the God Tree just over her head. She sat beneath it, relaxing in it's shade. Suddenly, the sky grew dark, the clouds turning black. A loud rumbling shook the ground, and a huge snake burst from the trees in front of her.

It's fangs flashed and it's deadly orange eyes filled with hate. She went to charge at it, but it quickly used it's body as a vice, holding her tight in a coil of scales. She tried to break loose, but the binds of the snake only tightened.

The snake brought her up so they looked each other in the eye. Mitsu braced herself for the fangs to dig into her flesh, for her body to be devoured by this foul creature. She was finished, done.

No, the pain never came. Instead the snake began to speak rapidly in a hushed whisper, an occasional hiss to the strange words. They seemed to grow louder and faster. It was a chant, the rhythm making her head droop, her arms limp. She seemed to shrink inside herself, seeing everything from far away; the snake became surrounded by blackness, as she fell deeper into herself.

A panic seized her, a dreadful fear that she would disappear. She fought to return, make the black go away. She pushed forward, but it didn't help. Instead her head began to pound, fast and quick, each one like a thrown punch. Soon, the pounding was in her heart, and she shot up in bed, her eyes wide with fright.

She went to grab her sword around her waist and found that it wasn't there. She shivered, despite the heat of the room and the sweat that coated her body. She clutched at her head, then her neck, feeling pain in both. She looked around and saw no giant snakes. She could still feel the tight scales around her, squeezing her. It had felt so real…so real…

She took a deep breath, one that leveled all of the rest. Her heartbeat returned to normal. She looked around the room. Everything was the same. She looked at her claws, which were as they always had been. She saw, nor felt anything out of place. Warily, and with a shaken soul, she returned to sleep, and never once woke again till morning.

Mitsu reached into her locker and retrieved her math book from its confines. She held it to her hip and reached in again to grab her notebook and pen. Once she had everything, she shut the door and returned the lock, giving it a final spin before turning to walk to class. It'd been three days since her nightmare. She'd thought about it ever since.

The days that followed that nightmare were normal enough. Her neck had healed overnight, as she thought it would. Luckily Grandma never found out. The only one who knew was snake girl and Sano, neither of which she was happy with.

She sighed as she walked up the stairs. What had that dream meant? The snake obviously represented the snake demon she'd fought with, but what had that chanting meant? It was like some kind of spell…but nothing had happened. Had it all been in her head, simply made up? She couldn't be sure.

She was so deep in thought that she missed a step on the stair. Mitsu tripped and her books scattered up and down the stairway. A few students nearby tittered and snickered. She ignored them and went to pick up her books, but stopped when she heard a soft whisper in her ear.

It was a light, floating sound. Soon, it grew in strength. Mitsu looked around, wondering if anyone else heard it. No one looked affected by the noise. She turned left and right but could not spot the source of the chant.

Chant! It was the same one from her dream! She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the noise, but then a language she understood slithered into her thoughts.

"Go to the roof…"

She felt herself slipping away, the black coming around her vision, the images getting further and further away. No! She couldn't! She saw, as if from a distance, the stairs come into view. She was climbing them. She could only watch in fear as she continued her ascent. Soon she reached the top most set of stairs. She climbed them, opening the door leading out to the roof.

She saw the roof come into view as she stepped onto it.

"Go to the edge…"

No! She tried to turn away from the scene in front of her, but she couldn't move. It was like she was bound by something. She looked down and saw the snake body wound around her, the very same from her dream. She screamed, not sure if it was heard, and desperately tried to wriggle free. She looked frantically to the vision as a view of the street below swam into view. She was on the edge, her toes hanging off.

"Jump…" the voice commanded evilly, laughing slightly as it did.

She could feel the effects slipping away, the blackness leaving her vision. She saw the street below her; she could feel the roof beneath her as she stepped from its secure ground. She was already to far off to go back.

The fear froze her nerves, she put her arms in front of her, and the only thing she could think of to do. She braced for the inevitable fall. Instead, she felt two arms wrap around her middle, and with one quick tug she was flung back onto the blessed ground of the roof. She felt the arms around her, tight and strong. Manly.

She was pulled into a sitting position, her back facing the mystery person who saved her. She could feel his heartbeat in her ear, fast and rapid. She felt the muscles of his chest, tense, then relaxed. She turned her head and was met with a world of silver and steal.

Sano looked down at her, the concern barely contained in his eyes. She gave a startled cry. Everything that had happened, the spell and the dream, came rushing out of her in that moment. Not caring that it was Sano, she embraced his middle, holding onto his strong form. She cried then, letting everything go.

She knew she looked weak, but she couldn't stop. Being there, in his arms, she felt like she could just be herself. After he'd saved her just then, she felt she could trust him, if only for that moment. So she clung to him like he was all she had left. His shirt held his calming scent, and she breathed deeply.

Soon, she had cried her last tear, and simply lay in his arms, feeling the warmth flow over her in waves. A hand stroked her hair, slow and gentle. She froze. He was stroking her hair! She jerked up quickly, her breath hitched in her throat. Their eyes locked, his hand still resting on her head. She gulped once, then twice, trying to regain air to her lungs.

"Thank you…" She said finally, amazed that he could look so gentle when he wanted to. He gave her a small nod and let his hand slide down from her hair to his side. He seemed speechless, as was she. She could only look at him. He stared at her so intently, she wanted to look away, but couldn't.

She could feel her arms growing weak, her head growing light. This was no curse. She'd felt this before. She was going to black out. She tried to fight it, wanting to look at him more. She reached out a shaky hand to touch his face, his cheek feeling rough and smooth at the same time. He looked slightly surprised, and this was the last thing she saw before she went unconscious.

Mitsu woke up to an unfamiliar place. She first smelled it in the air. It was different, the scent of the room, but not unpleasant. She looked around her and saw that she was underneath a black comforter, which was on a bed. She also saw a large dresser and closet, each a dark redwood. The ceiling fan twirled slowly above her, keeping her cool but not cold. Overall, the room was neat and sophisticated, and she liked it.

She looked to the window and found that the sun had been replaced with the full glowing moon. She slipped out of the bed, padding over to the door over the lush white carpet. She found the doorknob in the dark and turned it, pushing the door aside. She saw more clearly now and found that a set of stairs was down the hall a ways. She walked swiftly, descending the stairway quickly and silently. She saw the front door to the home, and was about to slip away when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Mitsu immediately came to a halt. She turned slowly, almost happily to meet the face of the one who had touched her.

Sano looked down at her, the moon slanting through the windows made his face look milky white and his hair a brilliant gold. His eyes were trained on her, one pair of silver orbs that she never wanted to look away from.

"Where are you going?" he asked quietly.

Mitsu gulped. Why had she wanted to leave? She looked down, trying hard to think of an explanation. She'd known from the start that she was in his house. His scent was unmistakable. She'd thought back to the scene on the roof and didn't want to face him again. But there she was, facing him. What would she say?

"I need to go to my grandmother. She'll be worried." Mitsu whispered angrily.

"I've called her. She knows where you are."

Mitsu frowned. "Call?" She questioned. This word didn't make sense to her.

He turned away and walked into the living room near the stairs. He took a seat on the couch, crossing his leg as he did so. He was facing her still. She looked at him sitting there. He looked so smart, so cunning. She must look like a worthless half demon in his eyes. She blushed sadly in embarrassment. She'd never felt so dumb.

"Sit." He ordered softly, gesturing to the chair across from him. Mitsu walked over to the chair but instead sat on the floor, cross-legged. She still wore her school uniform, but she didn't care about modesty anymore.

"Your not from here, are you Mitsu?" he asked.

She shot him a glare before answering him. "No."

He leaned back, a light smile on his face. "I thought so."

Mitsu sniffed angrily. "Well aren't you a genius!" She commented dryly.

He said nothing in return, but continued to look at her, his smile growing bigger as she spoke.

She leaned forward and hardened her stare. "What's so funny, Sano?" she asked, feeling weird speaking his name. It felt foreign, but oddly nice rolling of her tongue.

He too leaned forward, though his smile faded. "You make me smile." He stated simply, though to Mitsu it was like a hidden message. She made him…smile? What did that mean? His eyes conveyed his confusion and frustration. After revealing this fact, he leaned back against the couch once more.

She felt almost embarrassed by his comment, but tried to brush it off by focusing on something else. "You know I'm healed. The snake wound hasn't closed completely, but it's stopped bleeding."

He looked at her pointedly. "So?" he drawled.

She smiled wickedly and put her hands on the floor in front of her. "I can fight."

Something flashed in his eyes, a kind of conflict within himself. It seemed a mixture of excitement and relief. What could he be relieved about? There was so much about him that remained a mystery to her. Worse still, she wanted to find out what it was. She stood, and he too rose. They stared at each other for a moment more before he finally sent her a tiny smile and said softly, "As you wish."


	3. Fighting Love

Chapter 3: Fighting Love

-O-

She followed him out of the house, his tall shadow striding in front of her smaller one on the concrete. She looked up at the moon. It seemed to be glowing, almost blue. She breathed in deeply; feeling like the night was alive. Yes, tonight was perfect for a good fight.

They walked down the street until they came to an old abandoned park. The swings, whose chains were rusted from lack of use, creaked in the slight breeze that picked up occasionally. The trees surrounded the entire area, making the moon's light flicker across her face. Mitsu stopped ten feet going in and waited for Sano to take his place across from her.

He walked a distance then turned, his grace showing in his every move. She spread her feet, ready to fight. Her blood sizzled with the thought of fighting him. He was powerful, and she could see it. She knew that he would be. But that wasn't the only reason that she wanted to fight him.

Her father had told her once that you could learn a lot from someone by fighting with them. I thought it sounded stupid. Of course my father always solved problems with fighting, but now Inuyasha's words seemed to ring true. She felt that Sano would reveal some of himself in this battle. She hoped so at least.

"You ready?" she taunted from across the grass and dirt.

"Are you?" he replied softly, and then his image blurred. She smirked. This again! She wouldn't be tricked this time! She turned and quickly brandished her claws as his face reappeared just in front of her. As she thought he would! He gave her a smirk and his eyes flashed with excitement.

She brought her claws above her head and chanted, as her father had taught her, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" The flashes of light shot from her claws, heading straight for him. A loud boom assaulted her ears as a cloud of smoke erupted in front of her. She looked forward expectantly. Had she gotten him?

The smoke cleared, but the sight of a fallen Sano did not meet her eyes. A slashed tree instead was what she saw. He'd dodged it! She looked around wildly, searching for him. He'd escaped, but he wouldn't make it next time. She frowned in anger. Where was he!

She heard a shout, and looked up just in time to see Sano up above her. He'd hid in a tree and sprung from it. He was now falling straight for her, his arm lowered, ready to punch. She tried to move, but her movements were in vain. A sharp pain cut across her jaw, sending her flying into a tree. The tree almost snapped from the impact. She closed her eyes and readjusted her jawbone, wiping her arm across her lip, where blood dripped down her chin.

She stood up, swaying slightly. He would pay for that! She thought, a slow smile forming. "Nice!" She called out, sounding genuinely impressed with him.

He gave a modest shrug, something she'd never seen him do. "I do what I can…" he replied loudly, using sarcasm thickly in his words. She almost laughed. He was joking with her! He'd never so much as teased her and here he was making a joke for her amusement! Was he truly revealing himself…?

"Here I come!" Mitsu called out, a scant laugh escaping her lips.

Soon, they were fighting less fiercely, as if they weren't out to kill each other. She would dodge his punch, then she would send him a kick, but he would easily evade her. Soon, it was like sparring with her father. It was almost…fun! And the best part of it was: Sano was enjoying it too.

They went at it for some time, hours it felt like. It ended not as she'd planned it would. They were going at it, she sending punch after punch, he dodging every one. She was working him toward a tree, as he stepped back after every dodge. Soon, his back was to the tree, and he had nowhere to move. He looked surprised, not even trying to hide it. She wore the look of victory on her face as she stood before him, bloody lip and all.

She raised her arm to send the blow, but before she could, Sano jumped forward, grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her onto the ground.

The wind was knocked out of her as she hit the ground. She looked up, ready to send him her best glare, but stopped. He was on top of her, his hands still holding her shoulders, but much less fiercely than she would have thought. He was leaning forward, panting somewhat.

All she could see was his face. Him. Sano. His eyes were so close she thought she would fall into them. His hair hung down, the tips just touching her forehead. He was looking at her like no one ever had. His eyes held an emotion she couldn't pinpoint, but when she saw it, her stomach flipped and her heart raced. There position didn't help.

He smiled, a true-blue, all the way smile, one that made him look even better than before. He'd been handsome in their past meetings, but…wow! She saw his smile, and remembered her father's words. He had opened up to her. And all it had taken was a punch to the jaw.

His eyes locked onto hers and between breaths he spoke. "I…win."

She gasped as he began to lean towards her. He wasn't going to-to…kiss her, was he! She could only watch as he leaned still closer till he was a tiny inch away. Then he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment as if in deep thought. He was smelling her again. Why? Before, he'd done it to test her fear. Why was he doing it now?

His eyes were still closed as he said lowly, softly, "Your smell is…sweet…"

Eep! Her scent was sweet! What could she say to that?

"You smell good too." She replied quickly, sounding way too loud for her taste. She felt like punching herself. Idiot!

He opened his eyes wide, his surprise clearly shown. He looked incredulous for a minute, and then he did something she never thought he would do. He laughed.

-O-

A figure sat poised in a tree, high above the scene taking place below. The girl watched as the two demons fought, each one punching and kicking. She watched the half-demon sail into a tree, then the male demon as he landed gracefully and prepare for the next attack. Soon, the fight ended with the dog demon winning.

Ayume hissed under her breath. Another demon…he would be trouble for her. How had she missed him? She let her thin red tongue flick out for a second before receding. Yes, she wasn't mistaken. He smelled of demon, full-fledged. So why wasn't he noticed sooner? Had he hid his scent?

She put her fist in her hand, smiling evilly. It didn't matter. She had done what she wanted, and she would get revenge on that damn half-demon for beating her. She looked at the dog as he reached out a hand to pick up the girl from off the ground. She would take care of him as well, using a stone to kill two birds.

She hissed once more and drew back further into the shadows. Soon, she thought. Soon.

-O-

"Mitsu…wake up, dear…"

A voice drew Mitsu out of her dream. The image of a smiling Sano rippled and faded until she only saw black. She was awake, and the voice that had awakened her was her grandmother's. She opened her eyes sadly, wishing she could dream some more, and mumbled, "Is it time to get up, already?"

She smiled sadly and gave Mitsu a small pat on the head. "I'm afraid so."

Mitsu got up and went to the shower straight away, something that had become routine ever since she arrived. As she stood underneath the steaming water, she thought back to the night before. She could picture Sano leaning over her, smelling her, calling her scent sweet, and laughing at her comment. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought of him, wishing she knew why she was in the first place.

She dressed swiftly, running down the stairs to eat her breakfast. Sota was seated at the table as usual, newspaper in hand. He was always reading the headlines before he went to work. She walked over and said happily to the sports section, "Good morning, Uncle Sota!"

He moved the paper aside and sent her an odd look. "Are you okay?" he asked, eyeing her cheery smile and bright face.

"Of course!" She replied, bouncing off to take her place at the table.

Mrs. H, instead of her son, seemed pleased with Mitsu's attitude. She smiled as she sat the plate of eggs and bread on the table in front of her granddaughter, commenting, "It's nice to see you in such a good mood, dear."

Mitsu smiled at Kagome's mother before digging into her meal, humming all the while as she did. Sota stared at her the whole time, not even bothering to read his newspaper. He looked confused by her, almost suspicious of her actions. She ignored it, feeling happier than she ever had before.

After finishing her meal, she washed her dish in the sink and before she left, bent down to give her grandma a kiss on the cheek. She walked out of the kitchen, waving to her uncle. "Bye, Sota!" she called.

Soon the sound of her footsteps became distant, then gone. Sota looked at his mother, exclaiming loudly, "What's wrong with _her_?"

Mrs. H reached for a dishrag to scrub at a pan and replied simply, "She's in love."

-O-

Mitsu walked to school, feeling the best she'd ever had. How could it be that she'd gotten so happy? Even she couldn't explain it clearly. She smiled widely to anyone who passed her way along the sidewalk, and even ventured to say a kind, "Good morning!" She'd never felt so free! What was it that made her this way?

She saw the tall white building come into view, and actually looked forward to this new day of school.

Walking into the courtyard, Mitsu stood there for a moment, basking in the morning sun and the feel of so many people around her. At home, she'd only had Nimiko, Ko, and Kenai as friends. Now, people her own age surrounded her. How she would miss it!

That thought dulled her good mood significantly. Home…it seemed so long ago when she had been sitting in trees all day, fighting with Inuyasha, and learning card tricks from Shippo. When would she return? She looked around her at all of the girls and boys deep in conversation. She honestly didn't know…

A few people were starting to look at her, standing there in the middle of the courtyard, seemingly doing nothing. She sent them all a quick glare and shouted, "What!"

They all quickly turned away, ignoring her. She walked past them, up the steps, and through the double doors into the school. The rush of cool air met her and she relaxed. The morning had been quite hot! She went to her locker almost mechanically. As she collected her books, she thought of her uncommon good mood. What had brought it about, she asked herself again.

An image of Sano passed through her mind.

Sano? No! How could it be him that caused her happiness? Another part of her whispered back, because he's strong and handsome, gentle and kind…you could think of tons of reasons. Not to mention he saved your life! Ok, she sighed, so he could cause her happiness. But didn't he also make her mad, even hateful?

It was true; he had bothered her in the beginning. His suave attitude and manner made her blood boil, but…once she'd seen his emotion when he saved her, and again when they fought, she felt warmer towards him. So maybe, maybe…she was actually starting to like him…

The object of her thoughts suddenly came into view. Sano was walking down the hallway, all of the girls swooning over him as usual. He merely let the smallest smirk grace his features, then return to his cold mask. She waited for his eyes to land on her, for his gaze to meet her own, but his cool gray orbs passed directly over her head. She watched him walk past, feeling as though he had taken her heart with him.

-O-

Mitsu spent the rest of the day in silent emptiness. She could only think of Sano the entire time. She could see his smile when he truly meant it, and she could hear his laugh float through her head. They had had fun, hadn't they? So why, then, had he ignored her?

Wait a second! She yelled mentally. Why do I care what Sano does?

Her heart knew the answer to that question more easily than she thought. Because she truly did like him…a lot.

She put her head down on her desk, her eyes misting over. Why was her only friend in this wide world of Kagome's a cold jerk? She smirked riley. It would be just my luck.

The bell rang just then, making her snap to attention. The students began to file out one by one. Mitsu couldn't bring herself to follow them to lunch, and instead decided to go to the roof, a place she hadn't been to since…the incident.

She climbed the stairs and pushed aside the heavy metal door, revealing the high noon sun. She blinked a few times, readjusting her eyes for the harsh light. Once she could see again, she made her way to the chain-mail fence on either side of the entryway. Leaning against it, she slid down until she sat on the hot cement floor, her knees drawn to her chest.

She listened to the sounds of honking cars (Cars and most anything else she didn't know about was covered, thanks to Sota and Grandma), the sounds of talking people down below in the courtyard, the wind blowing softly over her skin, cooling her from the sun's heat. This world was so different from home. Some of it, though, was the same.

She could remember plenty of summers with the sun beating down on her back like a weight on her shoulders. She could still remember the burns she had received for inheriting her mother's pale skin. Ko had even made fun, saying, "Your face is as red as your fire-rat shirt!" Naturally, She gave her a nice welt on the forehead for the comment.

Thinking of home made her suddenly homesick. She missed dad terribly; his smile and his comfort, how could they have been so easily forgotten? Mitsu stood up, thinking of everything she had left behind. She wanted to go home.

She began to walk, but stopped, when Sano came to her mind. Could she leave him to return to her other life? She thought back to how he was toward her that morning, how he had simply passed her over like she was invisible. He wouldn't care if I left, She thought. And…I guess…neither would I! Yes, I would leave, whether he knew or not.

With that decided, She ran to the edge of the building and jumped clear over to the next. Mitsu didn't care about being seen anymore. What would it matter? She was leaving, and anyone who did happen to see her would simply be called crazy without any proof. So she continued to run and jump from rooftop to rooftop. Each leap she took, she felt like she was leaving something behind. She knew what it was, or rather, who it was, but tried hard not to think of it.

When she finally reached the family shrine, a lone tear escaped her eye. She quickly brushed it away, feeling angry with herself. No! She would leave, and never regret it. Sano…she would simply have to forget him…

"Right. I'm going, and I won't look back." She said aloud, resolutely.

A slick, familiar voice hissed not far behind her. "Leaving so soon…?"

Mitsu's heart skipped a beat. Without turning, she whispered, "I thought I took care of you." Louder, she snarled, "What do you want?"

A footstep. She was walking closer. "What I want…" Another step. "Is you and that damn dog demon…" She was inches from Mitsu now. "Dead." She finished, her tongue making the remark all the more menacing.

Mitsu turned slowly, her fear only surpassed by her anger. She glared at the snake demon. This girl wanted her out of the way only so she could be the top demon in the school. Mitsu growled low. She also wanted Sano dead. Could she let that happen?

"You think you can kill me?" Mitsu questioned, flexing her claws openly.

Snake Girl looked up, her finger tapping lightly on her chin. "No…I don't think so." She returned her gaze to Mitsu's, whom was growing more apprehensive by the moment. What was this girl up to?

Snake Girl leaned in closer, a vile grin on her face. "I'm going to have you do all the killing for me."

Suddenly, Mitsu dropped to the ground, clutching her head. What's happening to me? She cried internally. The chanting had returned, but this time it was like a yell rather than a whisper. She couldn't hear anything except the incoherent voices booming in her mind.

"No!" She screamed, knowing what would happen next. Sure enough, she felt the void closing in around her. The darkness spread at the corners of her vision as she sunk away from the view of the ground. She didn't know what to do. She kicked and fidgeted, hoping her efforts might quell the spell being cast upon her. The voices grew louder, almost angrier.

The voice, the girl's voice, it filtered in between the noise in her brain. The command was one that she could not bare.

"Kill the dog demon."

She saw the scene change as her eyes rose to meet those of the snake girl's. The girl was smiling wickedly. Mitsu felt tears forming in her eyes. She was under her spell. What could she do? She fell deeper into her self, the image growing even further away. No! She reached out a hand, as if to catch hold of something, stop herself from falling. It was no use.

She saw the dark envelope her eyes, blocking her sight. She tried to scream, but it was as if her voice had left her. Tears fell down her cheeks, but she couldn't wipe them. The girl's evil voice reached her still.

"Kill Sano!"

Mitsu's voice returned one last time as she gave an earth-shattering cry.

"NO!"

The voice returned, whispering sinisterly, "Yes."


End file.
